Best Practices: Vendor Management

Managing vendors effectively is crucial for maintaining smooth operations and achieving project success. In this blog post, we will explore how to build a cohesive vendor program using Chekhub's advanced features. From designating dedicated leadership and centralizing communication to creating structured vendor teams and optimizing work allocation, we will cover best practices to ensure your vendor management strategy is implemented effectively.

By adopting these strategies, you can enhance clarity, streamline workflows, and increase efficiency across your vendor network. 

Building a Vendor Team

• Dedicated Leadership:Managers can configure the team’s members to ensure the right people are on board.

This individual doesn't need to be a member of the team or require admin permissions.

• Centralized Communication: This point of contact receives work requests within Chekhub, acting as the central hub for communication with your vendor team.

 A dispatcher must be added to a team in order to receive service dispatch notifications.

Nesting in Action

• Creating Vendor Teams: Before exploring the advanced nesting capabilities within Chekhub's vendor teams, it is essential to first establish a solid foundation. Head over to our guide creating a team in Chekhub to get started.
• Team Nesting: Chekhub's team nesting feature elevates vendor management by letting you create sub-teams which ensures tasks are assigned to the most relevant candidates.

• • Scenario: Imagine your vendor handles electrical, mechanical, and construction work across various sites. You can create sub-teams for each service type (electrical, mechanical, construction).

• • • Within each service sub-team you can further nest teams based on location clearances, ensuring technicians are only assigned work relevant to their expertise and access level.

Location based restrictions must be configured in the subscription tab of the admin panel.

• • • A technician with clearances for multiple electrical sites can be assigned to those specific sub-teams. Similarly, a technician with expertise in both electrical and mechanical work can be a member of both service teams.

Optimizing Work Allocation with Service Dispatch

Although using the service dispatch option on ticket configuration is optional, it enables your operations team to delegate scheduling and personnel assignment to your vendor. This feature allows operations managers and service providers to clearly define expectations, rates, and scope of work before starting the job.

• Effortless Workflow: When creating a ticket, enable "service dispatch" using the toggle located under the task summary. This sends a notification to the vendor dispatcher, allowing them to review the request and designate the most qualified or available technician for the job. 
• Sending a Successful Dispatch: When creating a ticket, assign one or more vendor teams in the participant field, then click the Send Dispatch button in the upper right corner. Dispatchers from the selected teams will receive a notification to accept or reject the request. Once one of the vendor responses is approved, the service dispatch ticket will automatically leave pending status and be assigned for work.  
• First-Come, First-Served Option: For quicker assignment, consider enabling the "Auto-approve first response" setting. This will automatically assign the ticket to the first vendor who accepts the request.

Unlocking the Power of Access Control

Chekhub's access control system prioritizes location or project controls first, followed by assigned roles. 

• Project-Based: Grant access based on specific projects. This ensures vendors are only seeing and working on tasks relevant to their assignments, minimizing confusion and enhancing efficiency.
• Location-Specific: Limit vendor access to specific locations. This ensures they stay informed about relevant tasks within their designated areas, providing them with the necessary information to effectively complete their work.
• Role-Based Permissions: Assign roles to vendor team members (e.g., electrician, plumber) for further control. This allows you to grant specific permissions based on a vendor's expertise, streamlining work allocation.

Maximizing Your Success: Considerations for Vendor Management

• What if my Vendor Team does not have a dispatcher? 

• • Without a designated dispatcher, communication about required work will not be sent to the team. Make sure to include this when configuring your vendor team to avoid missed work. 

• My company no longer uses a vendor, what do I do?
  • You can easily deactivate your vendor teams without deleting them. This will allow you to view past tickets and team history without losing any data. If you choose to use this vendor team again in the future, simply reactivate them for work to resume. 

Pro Tips

• Streamline Vendor Team Creation with Templates: Configure team templates in Chekhub to quickly and consistently set up well-organized vendor teams aligned with your operational standards.
• View and Manage Vendor Tickets: Maintain oversight by checking the status of current and past tickets directly from your vendor team dashboard.
• Configure Custom Rate Cards: Leverage Chekhub's custom rate card feature to tailor and manage vendor-specific service rates, streamlining invoicing and enhancing financial planning for precise cost control and better vendor relationships.
• Assign Training Courses to Vendor Teams: Use Chekhub's training module to assign and track training courses for vendor teams, ensuring all members are qualified, compliant, and continuously improving their skills. For more details, check out our articles on utilizing training courses and  qualifications.
• Conduct Regular Reviews: Schedule periodic reviews to assess vendor performance, update team rosters, and ensure roles are aligned with current needs.

Empower Your Organization with Effective Vendor Management

Chekhub's features help you build a strong and efficient vendor network that supports your organization's needs. Clear roles and access control ensure everyone knows their responsibilities, while project and location-based access prevents confusion and enhances security. Streamlined communication and work allocation boost efficiency, saving valuable time and resources.

Adopting these best practices will enhance clarity, improve efficiency, and foster continuous improvement in your vendor management system. Take control of your vendor management today to drive greater productivity and success.